11 Apr 2016

The Debswana First Division North league contenders, Mahalapye Hotspurs and Ecco City Greens won their games on Saturday to leave all guessing as to who will gain automatic promotion to the beMOBILE Premiership.

Log leaders, Hotspurs, thumped Tafic by two goals via a penalty in the 78th minute by Mpho Monyena.

 Onkokame Matsela made it two in the 86th minute to put his side at 44 points, two points ahead of Ecco.

Amahot, as Hotspurs are affectionately called by their supporters, look set to gain automatic promotion to the top league, barring any miracles that could see them lose to Palapye All Stars in their last remaining game.

On one hand, Mamoja Diski, which carried the hopes of most Francistowners that it could break the current jinx of no team from the second city plying its trade in the beMOBILE Premiership by gaining automatic promotion, now look set to try their luck in the promotional play-offs.

Ecco are left with a game against Kazungula and could only wish for Hotspurs to lose their last game, while they win theirs.

They thumped Tsabotlhe 3-0 in a game that was tightly contested at the Old Francistown Stadium, with striker Lovers Mofokeng earning a brace.

Ecco huffed and puffed in the first half against the underdogs, Tsabotlhe, but the visiting side proved a hard nut to crack for Mamoja Diski, who played the game with their other ear listening attentively for updates from the Hotspurs-Tafic encounter.

Both sides went to recess tied at nil all but ECCO upped their attacks in the second half to show intent and were happy to open the score sheet In the 49th minute when Mofokeng sneaked in a low shot to beat Boikhutso Baipedi in Tsabotlhe goalposts.

Tsabotlhe did not then sit back and watch as the Francistown dictated terms, as they too used their brilliant players such as Goitseone Onkutlule and Baabilwe Outule to launch their own attacks.

Ecco’s Oarabile Powe made it 2-0 with a well taken left footed pile driver 20 metres away in the 70th minute to beat Baipedi hands down.

However, Tsabotlhe won a penalty in the 76th minute when Dikai Pheresi was brought down inside the box, but Outule stepped up to take the spot-kick, only to rattle the crossbar. 

Mofokeng earned his brace in the 83th minute to collect the maximum points for his side and the last game of the league would determine, whether he will be rattling the net in top flight football next season. Ends